Bush to Get Back to Work after Enjoying Election Win

By Paula Wolfson

President Bush has won a second four-year term in office.The Republican incumbent¹ delivered his victory speech shortly after his Democratic Party opponent, John Kerry, conceded defeat.

Mr. Bush spoke² in a building named for the last Republican president to win re-election: Ronald Reagan.

He looked out at the cheering crowd with tired eyes and savored³ the moment, telling his supporters America has spoken.

"The voters turned out in record numbers and delivered an historic victory," he said.

In his remarks Mr. Bush made clear he believes he has received a mandate⁴ from the American people to continue his foreign and domestic policies.  He said the United States is entering a season of hope, both at home and abroad, and made specific mention of Afghanistan and Iraq.

"With good allies at our side we will fight this war on terror with every resource of our national power so our children can live in freedom and in peace," he added.

But the president also acknowledged that a deep political divide plagues America. He spoke directly to voters who cast ballots⁵ for his opponent, and said he will do all he can to deserve their trust.

"A new term is a new opportunity to reach out to the whole nation," he noted⁷.  "We have one country, one Constitution and one future that binds⁸ us."
His words brought to an end to a bitter, hard-fought election season.  The president had hoped for a quick victory, but a long night of vote counting in the crucial state of Ohio delayed the outcome.

Senator Kerry formally conceded in a brief telephone conversation with the president some twelve hours after the polls closed and once it became clear Mr. Bush had an insurmountable lead.

A short time later Senator Kerry told supporters in his hometown of Boston, Massachusetts that he offered to work with Mr. Bush to heal the nation's political wounds.

"We talked about the danger of division in our country and the need - - the desperate need -- for unity⁶, for finding the common ground together. Today, I hope that we can begin the healing," said Mr. Kerry.

Mr. Kerry's running mate, Senator John Edwards, was at his side and struck a more defiant⁹ tone.  He said even though the outcome of this election will not change, the Kerry campaign will continue to insist that every vote is counted and all voters are heard.

"And I want to talk to the tens of millions of people who worked along side us, who believed in our cause and stood with us," said Mr. Edwards.  "You can be disappointed, but you cannot walk away. This fight has just begun."

John Kerry will remain in the Senate, but John Edwards is retiring from Congress.  A Republican, Richard Burr, will take his North Carolina seat.   Mr. Burr will be part of an increased Republican majority in Congress when the new session begins in January.

Among those who will not be returning is Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle.  He lost his bid for re-election to Republican John Thune. It was the first time in half a century that a senate leader was voted out of office.

注释：
deliver 陈述
concede 承认
savor 尽情享受
mandate (书面)命令
plague 折磨
crucial 至关紧要的
insurmountable 不能超越的
wound 创伤
mate 助手
defiant 挑战的
session 会议

1 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 savored   

v.意味，带有…的性质( savor的过去式和过去分词 )；给…加调味品；使有风味；品尝

参考例句：

• We savored the barbed hits in his reply. 我们很欣赏他在回答中使用的带刺的俏皮话。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We savored, (the pleasures of) mountain life to the full. 我们充分体会了山居生活的乐趣。 来自辞典例句

4 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

5 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 binds   

v.约束( bind的第三人称单数 )；装订；捆绑；（用长布条）缠绕

参考例句：

• Frost binds the soil. 霜使土壤凝结。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Stones and cement binds strongly. 石头和水泥凝固得很牢。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 defiant   

adj.无礼的，挑战的

参考例句：

• With a last defiant gesture,they sang a revolutionary song as they were led away to prison.他们被带走投入监狱时，仍以最后的反抗姿态唱起了一支革命歌曲。
• He assumed a defiant attitude toward his employer.他对雇主采取挑衅的态度。